Joseph Benincasa News

Nowadays it's quite common for a show to have '& Friends' in it's title. I don't know if Broadway Producer and entertainer Jamie deRoy invented the concept, but over the last 30 years she sure has perfected the inclusion of having her uber talented friends perform in Jamie deRoy & friends variety shows. In fact, some folks must think '& friends' is Jamie's last name, she has an impressive contact list (remember rollodex).

Anka Palitz, The Actors Fund National Ambassador Vice Chair and founder of the Heart & Soul Gala was honored at the Gala's 10th Anniversary in Palm Beach at The Breakers last night, along with Gillian Murphy, Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre and Ethan Stiefel, Principal guest instructor at the American Ballet Theatre. Tony and Emmy Award winning actress/singer/dancer Bebe Neuwirth hosted The Actors Fund event which featured performances by local Florida dancers.

This week the Actors Fund honored 2017 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award winner Baayork Lee; Tony and Drama Desk Award winner Jerry Mitchell; Emmy Award winner John Deluca; and Tony nominated, Emmy and Academy Award winner Rob Marshall; with a special Actors Fund Medal of Honor presented to actress, dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade, at The Actors Fund's Career Transition For Dancers Masquerade Ball.

The Actors Fund held a ribbon-cutting on October 5, 2018 to celebrate the launch of Looking Ahead in New York City, a program which originated in 2003 in Los Angeles and is designed to help young professional performers and their families thrive amid the unique challenges of working in the entertainment industry. The Paul Libin Center serves as the home for the Looking Ahead program in New York City, and is located in Times Square at the main offices of The Actors Fund at 729 Seventh Avenue on the 12th floor.

Abingdon Theatre Company (Tony Speciale, Artistic Director; Denise Dickens, Producing Director) presents the final main stage production of its 25th Anniversary season, Fruit Trilogy, a new trilogy of plays by Tony Award® winner Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues, In the Body of the World) and directed by Mark Rosenblatt (world premiere of Fruit Trilogy at West Yorkshire Playhouse, UK; Animal Wisdom, Bushwick Starr).

The Actors Fund bestowed its Medal of Honor upon four artists last night at its annual gala. BroadwayWorld was on hand at the big event, and you can check out photos below!

The Friars archives and Wikipedia have finally been corrected. Nineteen Eighty Eight was a watershed year for women. They gained membership to numerous private men's clubs that heretofore were off limits to women. The Friars, being one of the more famous of the bunch had an article heralding the event written by a less than factual reporter for The New York Times. The paper of record, in an early forerunner of fake news only listed the first 7 women and overlooked number 8...Jamie deRoy who was in that initial group, along with Liza Minnelli, Joan Rivers, Brooke Shields, and other prominent female entertainment figures was not mentioned.

The 9th Annual Heart & Soul Gala chaired by Palm Beach's Anka Palitz and honoring Wendy Whelan and Dr. Omar & Cheryl Almallah was held at The Breakers last night and BroadwayWorld was there.

The celebrities turned out for Haley Swindal's last show at Feinstein's/54 Below last night and BroadwayWorld was there.

Curators of the Mamie and Ellis Nassour Arts and Entertainment Collection at the University of Mississippi have created a unique archive to honor the late actress Marian Seldes and the Actors Fund of America, the latter for its generous donations of theatrical memorabilia.

The Actors Fund, the national human services organization that helps everyone in performing arts and entertainment in times of need, crisis or transition, just held its Annual Gala last night, May 8, 2017. The evening celebrated Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Danny DeVito, two-time Academy Award winner Sally Field, outstanding corporate leader Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO of AARP and 21-time Tony Award-winning theatrical director and producer Harold Prince. Mr. DeVito, Ms. Field and Ms. Jenkins were awarded The Actors Fund's Medal of Honor. Mr. Prince received The Actors Fund's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Brian Stokes Mitchell, Chairman of The Actors Fund and Joe Benincasa it's CEO came to Palm Beach for the the 8th Annual Heart & Soul Gala which was started by Anka Palitz.  Anka, for the past 20+ years has been the FundraIsing Chair of CTFD. BroadwayWorld was at the event which honored philanthropist Sydell Miller. Marcelo Gomes received the organizations Dance Award, and the capacity crowd at The Breakers were entertained by Liz Callaway and local Palm Beach dancers.

The 2016 ASCAP FOUNDATION HONORS were given out last night at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Appel Room last night and BroadwayWorld was there.

More than one hundred solo performers, festival supporters, special guests, and members of the theatre community took part in the United Solo Closing Gala.

Show business tour de force Jamie deRoy brings her star-packed Jamie deRoy & friends cabaret show to New York's famed Birdland, Sunday, October 16, at 6 p.m.

The Broadway at Birdland Concert Series welcomed Jamie deRoy & friends for a star-studded cabaret show last night and BroadwayWorld was there.

Theatre Development Fund (TDF), the not-for-profit service organization for the performing arts, honored Disney Theatrical Productions and Thomas Schumacher, its president and producer, last night at TDF's Gala on Monday, March 14 at Manhattan's historic Gotham Hall (1356 Broadway @ 36th Street, NYC).

? New Brunswick's George Street Playhouse celebrates the end of another successful season on Sunday, May 22, with its Annual Gala Benefit.  As part of the celebration, the Thomas H. Kean Arts Advocacy Award will be conferred upon The Actors Fund and its President and Chief Executive Officer, Joseph P. Benincasa, by the former Governor himself.  The inaugural award was given to Governor Kean in 1990 and was named in his honor to pay tribute to an individual, corporation or foundation whose dedication to the arts enhances the cultural life of the citizens of New Jersey.

Just yesterday, the Actors Fund officially renamed their Manhattan residence, "The Aurora," (West 57th and 10th Avenue) at a special ribbon cutting ceremony.  The residence will now be called "The Dorothy Ross Friedman Residence."  Brian Stokes Mitchell and Chita Rivera were there for the occasion, and BroadwayWorld brings you an inside look at the festivities below!

Just yesterday, Actors' Equity President Kate Shindle and Executive Director Mary McColl toasted the 2015-2016 Broadway Season with a celebration at Haven Rooftop at the Sanctuary Hotel (132 West 47 Street). BroadwayWorld was there for the special day and you can check out photos below!